A sharp pain shot through Ren’s skull, a searing pulse of energy radiating from deep within his core. His vision blurred, the world twisting and warping around him as if reality itself was being peeled away.

  Then—

  Darkness.

  The sensation of falling.

  Wind howled past his ears, his body tumbling weightlessly through an abyss. His breath caught in his throat, but before he could react—

  Impact.

  Ren slammed into the ground, the force rattling his bones. The taste of iron filled his mouth as he gasped, his body aching from the sudden collision.

  Dirt. Blood. Smoke. The stench of death.

  His eyes snapped open.

  He was no longer in the forest.

  Instead, he found himself in the middle of a warzone.

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  The sky above was a deep, bloodstained crimson, swirling clouds of black ash choking the air. All around him, soldiers clad in tattered armor clashed against monstrous figures, their weapons singing through the air as blood splattered across the muddy battlefield.

  A horn blared in the distance—a deep, guttural sound that sent chills down his spine.

  Ren staggered to his feet, his body heavy, unfamiliar. A weight pulled at his shoulders, and as he looked down—

  He saw armor.

  Dented, battle-worn plate armor covered his body, streaked with grime and dried blood. In his hands, he gripped a long, curved war blade—one he’d never seen before, yet instinctively knew how to wield.

  His breath hitched.

  "What the hell…?"

  A voice roared behind him.

  "Form ranks, you bastards! The enemy is upon us!"

  Ren turned just in time to see a grizzled commander stomping toward him, his face smeared with sweat and fury. His scarred eye locked onto Ren, as if expecting something.

  "Get moving, soldier!" the man snarled. "Or do you plan on dying where you stand?!"

  Ren’s pulse hammered in his ears.

  This wasn’t an illusion.

  This felt real.

  Before he could question it further, the ground shook.

  From the horizon, a monstrous tide of shadows surged forward—a horde of abyssal creatures, their twisted bodies writhing with malice.

  The battlefield erupted into chaos.

  And Ren had no choice but to fight.